post image

Autumn Safety Tips for Dogs and Cats

With autumn, comes decorating for the holidays, cooler weather, a change in scenery, and all the back-to-school festivities. Lots of excitement and changes that your dogs and cats can join in on!

All the festivities include some precautions for your pet. Where the weather changes, people also do work on their vehicles, begin hunting season, and prepare their house to keep out small unwanted visitors.

Be sure to take precautions for your dog and cat as school starts back up hunting season begins, and decorations appear!

Getting Back Outdoors

After a few months of avoiding the heat, it is nice to get back outside and enjoy the sights and smells – ahh bonfires, falling leaves, and all the beauty of the fall weather.

As much fun as it is taking walks in the woods and around the neighborhood to see the decorations, it is important to keep an eye out for your pet outdoors. The outdoors in fall is a great time to get back into an exercise routine, but some major things can bring harm your pet. Hunting, rodenticides, antifreeze and mushrooms are just a few of the outdoor dangers that can cause problems with your dog or cat.

Fresh Air

Fall is also a time when the temperature is lovely to open your windows and screen doors to allow some fresh air in the house. Make sure your screens are secure and doors are closed tight. Cats love the fresh hair and will sit in a window sill or by the door. An accidental lean against a door or window that is not secure can put your pet at risk of falling or getting out.

Antifreeze

In the fall, people start preparing their vehicles for winter. It is important to watch out for antifreeze and other chemicals on the ground that can be toxic to your pet. Antifreeze has a sweet taste that pets won’t think twice about consuming. Less than one tablespoon to a cat can be lethal. It can cause nervous system damage and severe kidney failure in your pets. Taking precaution about where your pet goes outside, or where you go for a walk can help prevent toxins from reaching your dog or cat.

Hunting

Going for a walk in the woods or forest is fun to get to see all the new colors in the foliage and take a deep breath of fresh air, but fall is also hunting season. Though most hunters obey hunting regulations, it is important to take caution by keeping them on a leash or in a fenced yard and dressing your pet in bright-colored vests or other apparel to make them stand apart from hunted animals.

Wild Mushrooms

Fall and spring are also the seasons for mushrooms. Though most mushrooms are non-toxic, there are the 1% of poisonous mushrooms that can have serious effects on your pet. To keep your dog or cat safe, it is easier to regard all wild mushrooms as poisonous until verified otherwise. If your cat or dog does come into contact with a poisonous mushroom, it is best to seek veterinary help with a sample of the eaten substance. Keeping your dog on a leash can prevent exposure.

Rodenticides

Rodenticides also increase as the weather outside cools down and rodents seek a warmer place to stay. Accidental exposure is more frequent than a pet parent might think. They are common products that contain ingredients that can cause vomiting, neurological problems, bleeding disorders, or kidney failure. If your dog or cat ingests any rat killer – call your vet immediately. Different rodenticides contain different chemicals, and treatment will be determined based on amount and type of chemical. They may want to induce vomiting if the ingestion was recent and follow-up with treatment. For more information check out these articles on rodenticide poisoning in dogs and cats.

Harvest Season for Grapes

Fall is a time when grapes are ready for harvest. With the increasing popularity of wineries and drinking wine, many homes may have a few vines. Grapes (and raisins) are toxic to dogs and cats. The stories reported to the ASPCA suggest that it only take a few ounces of grapes to harm your pet. The reason for the toxic reaction is still unknown according to PetPlace.com veterinarians. Be sure to keep animal play areas distance from grape infested areas. If a pet does come into contact with the toxin, a vet should be contacted immediately.

Back to School

Backpacks, crayons, pencils, pens, and markers galore! A lot of things for your pet to mistake as a toy. Regularly, pens, pencils and the likes are considered “low-toxicity,” meaning if a small quantity is consumed, it is not fatal; but there aren’t many pets that have high levels of self-control when it comes to free, easy-to-reach goodies. See our list of commonly ingested “nontoxic” items as well as commonly ingested toxic items:Nontoxic Items Commonly Eaten by Dogs, Common Dog Poisons, Common Cat Poisons.

Backpacks

Backpacks also contain toxins to dog and cats. They can be full of gum, candy, medicines or inhalers. To keep your pet safe, be sure to keep backpacks closed and the contents of them out of reach of your pets.

Alone Time

With summer ending, the kids head back to school as well. That means there is a lot more alone time at home for your pet. The drastic change in play time and attention can have an effect on your dog or cat’s happiness. Depression is common in animals and they each have their own ways of showing it. Make sure to keep an eye on your dog and cat’s behavior to keep them mentally healthy as well as physically.

Seasonal Decorations

As the holidays approach, so do the decorations! It’s the time of year to make every nook and cranny of the house festive. But, your pets like the decorations as much as you do – just in a different way.

Small ornaments and decorations can be a hazard to pet health. They can be chewed or swallowed and become a toxicity problem or a choking hazard.
Large decorations can also be a target for your pet. New things to explore, play on and under can lead to some risky events happening around the home. Here are some great tips on how to create a pet safe holiday tree: 10 Steps for a Dog safe Holiday Tree, 10 Steps for a Cat Safe Holiday Tree.

Candles

Candles are often big sellers when the weather turns colder, they have an inviting scent and give a warm appeal to a home. With all the people buzzing in, out and around the home when things stir up for back-to-school and the holidays, candles can be a risk for fire hazards. Pets are also known for their mischievousness and curiosity. With candles and a rambunctious home, house fires aren’t out of the question. Keeping an eye on candles and pets can prevent unwanted mishaps.

For questions, comments, or any additional autumn concerns, leave us a comment below!

Back to School

Backpacks, crayons, pencils, pens, and markers galore! A lot of things for your pet to mistake as a toy. Regularly, pens, pencils and the likes are considered “low-toxicity,” meaning if a small quantity is consumed, it is not fatal; but there aren’t many pets that have high levels of self-control when it comes to free, easy-to-reach goodies. See our list of commonly ingested “nontoxic” items as well as commonly ingested toxic items: Nontoxic Items Commonly Eaten by Dogs, Common Dog Poisons, Common Cat Poisons.

Backpacks

Backpacks also contain toxins to dog and cats. They can be full of gum, candy, medicines or inhalers. To keep your pet safe, be sure to keep backpacks closed and the contents of them out of reach of your pets.

Alone Time

With summer ending, the kids head back to school as well. That means there is a lot more alone time at home for your pet. The drastic change in play time and attention can have an effect on your dog or cat’s happiness. Depression is common in animals and they each have their own ways of showing it. Make sure to keep an eye on your dog and cat’s behavior to keep them mentally healthy as well as physically.

Seasonal Decorations

As the holidays approach, so do the decorations! It’s the time of year to make every nook and cranny of the house festive. But, your pets like the decorations as much as you do – just in a different way.

Small ornaments and decorations can be a hazard to pet health. They can be chewed or swallowed and become a toxicity problem or a choking hazard.
Large decorations can also be a target for your pet. New things to explore, play on and under can lead to some risky events happening around the home. Here are some great tips on how to create a pet safe holiday tree: 10 Steps for a Dog safe Holiday Tree, 10 Steps for a Cat Safe Holiday Tree.

Candles

Candles are often big sellers when the weather turns colder, they have an inviting scent and give a warm appeal to a home. With all the people buzzing in, out and around the home when things stir up for back-to-school and the holidays, candles can be a risk for fire hazards. Pets are also known for their mischievousness and curiosity. With candles and a rambunctious home, house fires aren’t out of the question. Keeping an eye on candles and pets can prevent unwanted mishaps.

For questions, comments, or any additional autumn concerns, leave us a comment below!